Clarinet



July 27 1926.

CLAR

Filed Jan. 9; 192e C. E. POTTER INET 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 x l d July 27 1926. 1,594,107

C. E. POTTER y CLARINET Filed Jan. ,9. 192e .1 sheensshet 2 Mg ,f-

July 2,7 1926.l 1,594,107

c. E. POTTER CLARINET Filed Jan. 9. 1926 '5 SheeLS-Sheel 3 Patented July 27, 1926.

UNITED sTArEs CHARLES E. POTTER, OF WILKES-BABRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLARINET. i

Application filed January The principal object oi"- the invention is to provide improvements for a clarinet or standard design whereby certain lower register ynotes which havev heretofore always b-een sharpr are flattened or lowered to the proper pitch, and whereby certa-in upper register notes which have heretofore been i'iat are sharpened or raised vto the proper pitch.

More specifically the object of the invention is to provide reductions in the sizes of certain holes. together with corresponding additional holes and also means for opening and closing the additional holes whereby the beforementioned results are obtained. y

A further object of the invention is to provide a certain specific mechanism for opening and closing the betorementioned additional holes.

Still furtherobjects ot the invention will be apparent `from the following specification and claims.

ln the accompanyingdrawings, I have shown the embodiment of the invention which l now deem preferable, but it willfbe understood that the drawings are for illusl` trative purposes only and are not to be con` strued as defining or limitingv the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this speciiication being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings: y

Figs. 1 and 2 are musical diagrams showing the notes which are `corrected and restored to the proper pitch in accordance with the invention.

Figs. 3 andllare fragmentary side views. oi. a clarinet, the views being'talren from ditterent angles.

Figsq to^7 are enlarged transverse sectional views `taken respectively along the. lines 5 5, 6 6, and 7 7y ofFig. 4;

Figs. 8 and 9 are` views similar to Fig. 7, but showing the parts in diiierent rela-` tive positions.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged-transverse sectional' view taken Ialong the line 10-10of Fig. 11.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary detail view part- 1 ly in section along the line 11--11 of Fig. 7.

Fig.`12 is a fragmentary detail view para lyiin Vsection along the line 12,-12 of Fig. 7 Fig. 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing a detail.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary side 9, 1926. serial No. 80,206.

view, this view being' taken in the direc tion of the arrow 111 in Fig. 7.

yF ig. 15 is an enlarged perspective view shown in detail. i

it is a recognized fact that in all clarinete certain notes in the lower register are sharp, these ordinarily being the notes A, Ait, B. C, C# and D as shown in Fig. l. Certain notes in the upper reo'ister are flat, these notes being E, F, Fit, G, A,`Ci#, D, Dt, E, F and Ft as shown in Fig. 2. Instandard clarinete compromise tones are deter.-y inined upon so as to prevent the lower register notes irom being excessively sharp and as to prevent the upper register notes from being excessively tlat. Prior to my invention, there `has `been no known means or. method for lowering the lower register notes to the proper pitch without, at the same time, lowering the upper register notes to such an extent that they would be eticeedingly vfiat and discordant. Conversely there has been no lrnown means orinethod whereby the upper register notes could be raised to the proper pitch without at the same time making the low-er register notes excessively sharp and discordant. In `accordance with the present invention, all o'l these not-es. are brought to the properv pitch thus providing 'for the first time a clarinet which is absolutely7 in tune 'throughout its entire range.

The invention is not limited to a clarinet of kany particular type, but, by way of example, I have illustrated it as applied to a, clarinet of the well known Boehm` model. Ehe standard operative parts of. a Boehm clarinet are illustrated in Figs. 31 and it, but inasmuch as the standard parts ot the instrument are well known and are not ofy themselves involved in the invention, a de tailed descriptionthereot will` be omitted..

In order to properly `flatten the. lower register notes, particularly those. referredto, the holes 1, 2 and 3, which are ordinarily` opened land closed by the first, secondi and third fingers respectively of the right hand, are made somewhat smaller than standard` the reduction in the cross-sectional. areav ot these holes being just sufficient to flatten the. lower register notes and lower them to the proper pitch.

As alreadysuggested the lowering ot the pitch of the lower register .notes would.` (ifv nothing else were, done) lower the, pitch.

lll() ot the upper register notes to such an ez-ztent that they would be excessively llat. In accordance with my invention, I avoid this tiatteninp; of the upper r Aster notes by providing one or more additional holes in the clarinet, together with devices tor opening' and closing; them. When the lower register notes are being' played the holes are normally closed, and provision is made ttor opening these holes when the upper register notes are being played. I do not limit myself to any particular number of holes or to any exact location thereof, but I prefer to provide ancL have shown three holes 4f, 5' and 6. together with tampions 7, 8 and Sl respectively adapted to close the holes. A single nieaiis is provided for mou ing; the tampions .7, S and 9 to open positionsl and preferably this means is so con structedthat it is automatically operated whenever the upper register hey l() is operated.

The total area oi? the three holes et, 5 and 6 is such as to at least compensate tor the reduction in area of the three holes l, 2 and However, inasmuch as some oit the upper register notes are ordinarily liat, the area of the holes 4L, 5 and 6 is preferably suiiicient not only to compensate 'tor the reduction in the holes l, 2 and 3 but also to correct the tiatness which already exist' d in the upper register notes.

It will be obvious that the ent-ire additional cross-sectional area of the holes 5 and. G needed only when all three or the holes l, 2 and 3 are open. In order to maintain the various upper register notes at the proper pitch` it is necessary to close one or more ot' the holes t, 5 and 6 when one or more of the corresponding` holes l, 2 and 3 are closed. It will thus be seen that I primarily provide means 'for increasing the total area of opening` when notes in the upper register are being,` played, and that with this I combine mean-s whereby the additional area can be again reduced as one or more ot the holes l. 2 and are closed.

As concerns the specific mechanism which is used to accomplish the results which I have described, there can be wide variation within the scope of my invention. I-Iowever, in order that the invention may be clearly understood, I have shown in the drawings, and will now describe in detail the specific mechanism which I have found preferable and which will 'form the basis ot some of the more specific claims ot this application.

The three tau'mions 7, 8 and 9 are all loosel 1 mounted on a be rane sha .t ll which is rotatably mounted on pivot screws l2, carried b v studs 13, 13 projecting from tie body ot the clarinet. These parts most clearly shown in 7, 8, 9 and 1Q. Spring wires 14: and provided which engage lugs 1G, l@ on the sleeves oi the rc spective tampions, these spring wires acting' in the direction to hold the tampions in their open positions. Pinned or otherwise secured to the sha'jt il are hubs l?, l? which are provided with adjustable screws` '8, it. 'Ihese screws are adapted to engage in s it),

by one ot the hubs I7, as shown in Fig'. i6. rlhis .f-.zprm 2O is of sutiicient sLrenggth to overcome the combined action oi the springs 14. and 15, the result being; that the tainpions are norn'iall;Y held in closed positions not withstanding` the tendency ot the springs 'let and l5 to move them to open positions. lili`d 7 shows one et the tampions in its normal closed position.

Suitable means is provided tor turning' the shaft ll in the clockwise direction and in apposition to the spring 2O tor the purpose ot' permitting` the tanipions i', S and S.) to open under the action oit the springs lll and la. Preferably this means is connected to be actuated automatically by the beteren'ientioned upper register hey l0. As illustrated a bearing shaft 22 is provid id, this being;` suitably mounted on studs 22", on the body ot the upper section A olf the clarinet. Rotatably mounted on the shaft 22 is a sleeve lf-.t carryingl a lever at the lcnil adjacent the upper register key l0. d t the other end the sleeve carries a lever which is provided with a projection 2T extending' under a projection 2S on a lever 2f) secured to the s ia'lit ll. It will be seen that wl'icn the sleeve is turned in the clockwise direction the shatt ll will be turned `in the saine direction. rihe engagement ot the two projections 27 and 28 on the levers 2G and ii!) permits the upper section il. oi the clarinet to be separated from the lor-.fer section l in the usual way.

Pivotally mounted on the body et the section A ot' the clarinet is a lever IBO which projects between the upper register key l() and the body at one end and which his engagement at the other end with the beterementioned lever 25. The result is that when the key l0 is pressed to adapt the clarinet ior piayingr upper register notes the sleeve Qliis turned .in the clockwise direction thus siimiltaneously turning); the sha-'tt 1l in the clockwise direction and pern'iitting the tanipicns 7, S, and 9 to open as already described. Each tampion is thus moved trom the position shown in 7 to the position shown in Fig. 8.

register are to be played and for opening any one or more ot them when notes ot the upper register are to be played, and means associated with the first said holes for controlling' the opening' oit the said additional holes.

5. A. clarinet having cert-ain holes smaller than standard, nhereby the usual sharpness et certain lower reg'ster notes is eliminated, and also hav' g additional holes ol such area that any iilatness oit ne upper register notes is avoided, in combination With devices c osi gr the additional holes When notes of the lovver ""gister are to be played, and means operable by the upper register key ot the clarinet for moving the said devices to open the said additional holes.

(i. ik., clarinet having' certain holes smaller than standard, whereby the usual sharpness ol certain lower register notes is eliminated, and also having additional holes of such area that any vtlatness of the upper register notes is lavoided, in combination with devices for closing the. additional holes when notes oit the lovfer register are to be played, means operable by the upper register key of the clarinet for moving tl e said devices to open any one or more of the said additional holes, and means associated with the irst said holes :tor controlling the movements oi" the la id devices to open positions.

i'. 'i clarinet having certain holes smaller than ;taiifl;ii'd, vliereby the usual sharpness ot certain lov-.fer register notes is eliminated, and also having additional holes corresponding in to the tirst said holes and oit such y any tlatness ot' the upper register notes is avoided, in combination With devi closing the additional holes when notes o'l the lower register are to be played, means operable by the upper register lzey ot the clarinet and normally serving' to move. all oit the said devices to open the said additional holes, and means associated with the lirst said holes for respectively moving the said devices to closed positions or for preventing their movement to open positions.

A clarinet having certain holes smaller than standard, whereby the usual sharpness o'l certain lower register notes is elin'iinated, and also having' additional holes ot such area that any flat-ness o't the upper registei.r notes is avoided, in combination With devices ;tor closing' the additional holes when o'li the, lower register are 'to be played.

tending to move each oit the said to open position, a spring acting on ie devices and serving to move them trd positions in opposition to the first springs, means operable by Jthe upper ter lm v ot the clarinet ior overcoming ast said spring' to permit the said deto be moved to o pen positions by the 'd springs, and means including rings asociated with the lirst said holes for mov- Jig' the said devices to closed positions or L hilt for preventing' their movement to open positi/ons.

9. A clarinet having` cert-ain holes smaller than standard, whereby the. usual sharpness of certain loiver register' notes is eliminated, and also having additional holes ot' such ares` that any tlatness oit the upper register notes is avoided, in combination with devices for closing' the additional holes when notes o the lower register are to be played, springs tending to move each ot the said devices to open position, a spring acting on all olf the devices and serving to move them to closed positions in opposition to the first said springs, means operable by the upper register hey of the clarinet for overcoming the last said spring to permit the said devices to be moved to open positions by the iirst said springs, and means including rings associated with the first said Aholes and independently movable tor respectively moving the said devices to closed positions or 'tor preventing their movements to open positions.

CHARLES E. POTTER. 

